***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[robelinda]

He's a boring bowler for sure. Lets hope he is a wicket taking bowler too. Bracken was a economical test bowler too, but had zero penetration.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Bracken never got given a decent chance tbf. Got turfed far too quickly for someone with proven international and first-class success.

 

[adub]

Yeah let's not get too excited about Copeland yet. Hilf looked awesome and was taking bags before he entered the CA Fail Factory so we'll see what's left of Copeland to spit out once he's been in the set-up for a while.

Hilfenhaus has never had a record anywhere near Copeland's ever.

Hilf started reasonably taking 39 wickets at a tick under 31 and had a great second season taking 60 wickets to get his average down to 27.5, but he's never been down to that level since with his average hovering between 29 and 31 for the last few years.

Of course there are no guarantees Copeland will kill it at test level, it is a big step up, but he has better numbers at Shield level than probably anyone you can name in the last 40 years prior to selection. Lillee had 61 wickets at 27.3 before his first test, McGrath 32 @ 24.41, Gillespie 60 @ 26.70, McDermott 45 @ 29.38. The closest I can think of is Lee with 71 @ 22.07. We'd all hope he turns out a better test bowler than Lee did for most of his career (ie better than a guy who took 310 test wickets @30.8 with a 53.3 s/r), so even if he doesn't maintain his incredible numbers over the long haul I think we can be allowed at least a little excitement at the prospect of a potential world class bowler in our side.

 

[Top_Cat]

Can't see it. Reckon he'll get pumped at Test level.

 

[benchmark00]

Can't see it. Reckon he'll get pumped at Test level.

Yeah, I'm very bearish about his prospects, though undoubtedly hopeful.

The 'haus ripped up shield cricket for a period of time before getting selected, let's just remember that.

 

[Spikey]

The Hilf ripped up shield cricket for a period of time before getting selected (but only @ Hobart)

i can't be bothered going to the cricketarchive but i'm certain Copeland actually has an average below 30 at more than one ground in australia

then again 17 games so that doesn't mean much. nevertheless peter george is probably a better comparison to Hilf, given he's a star at Hobart too but elsewhere....

 

[benchmark00]

Copeland has tore it up in a wet summer against possibly the weakest batting depth the Shield has experienced for a number of years.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan, I've faced him before and I hope he does amazing, but let's not go over the top early hey? Better to be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Spikey]

oh don't get me wrong - i don't want him in the squad. I'd rather we not pick players until they've played 3 or seasons too...but I'm willing to over-look that if the other option is playing Hilf!

In any case Copeland is very much a last minute add-on ("**** what happens if MJ has a shocker and Harris breaks down?" , and def. behind pattinson. so there's no real point talking about how he's gonna perform at international level anyway right now.

 

[Spikey]

Australia in Sri Lanka 2011: Test players picked from anywhere, Cameron White believes | Cricket News | Sri Lanka v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo


also, ctrl + f: Hauritz. Not Found. **** CA.

 

[pup11]

I'd say that Copeland bowls a bit fuller than Hilfenhaus myself tbh.

If Copeland is asked to pull his length back so he can keep the runs down to compliment high economy rates of Siddle and Johnson then that's exactly what he would have to do.

Hilfenhaus, Hauritz, Doherty, Beer, McDonald were basically just selected with the primary objective of keeping the runs down so likes of Johnson and Siddle can do their thing from the other end, which unfortunately has mostly left us with only two genuine wicket taking options at most times.

 

[benchmark00]

I'd love to see Ronnie Mac selected itbt.

 

[Spikey]

when i think siddle i don't think high economy rate. i think his might be below hilf's even? certainly short **** outside off that doesn't make the batsman play doesn't go for many runs, and 80-90%% of time he's doing that (and hilf's doing that 100% of the time). And of course the other 10% he's actually a great bowler not going for runs because he's bowling so well.

 

[pup11]

Australia in Sri Lanka 2011: Test players picked from anywhere, Cameron White believes | Cricket News | Sri Lanka v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo


also, ctrl f: Hauritz. Not Found. **** CA.

More and more players are coming and voicing their opinions against the flawed Australian cricket administration which probably means Hilditch and his buddies days might be numbered.

Despite White's fall from grace in recent times I still believe he is one of the best cricket brains in Australian cricket atm, its a shame that as cricketer he might be lost to Australian cricket because of poor management.

He had pretty good all-round skills as a youngster but at the age of 28 he has hardly grown as a player, infact he has just been tagged as big hitter good enough only for T20 which should definitely not have been the case.

 

[pup11]

when i think siddle i don't think high economy rate. i think his might be below hilf's even? certainly short **** outside off that doesn't make the batsman play doesn't go for many runs, and 80-90%% of time he's doing that (and hilf's doing that 100% of the time). And of course the other 10% he's actually a great bowler not going for runs because he's bowling so well.

What my point is that in a bowling attack everyone should be allowed to bowl to their strengths which has not been happening in Australian team for a while now, Hilfenhaus as a swing bowler should have the freedom to attack by bowling a fuller length even if that means going for a few runs, Hauritz or any other spinner for that matter should be allowed to bowl with close-in fielders.

You can't have a four man bowling attack where two people are trying all sort of things to pick wickets whereas the other two bowlers are curbing their natural style of play to compliment them, when you do that as a bowling attack you would at all times struggle to take the 20 wickets in a game which is exactly what has been happening with this Australian side.

 

[nsniks]

Although its late but found this really funny

@stevesmith49
Steve Smith
Busy couple of days in coolum. Back to Sydney this morning for a couple of days before heading off to Sri Lanka on Saturday. #goodtimes
24 Jul via Twitter for iPhone

Australia have included four uncapped players in their 15-man squad for the forthcoming Test series in Sri Lanka.

Leg-spinner Steve Smith and seamers Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger miss out as Michael Clarke prepares for his first Test as permanent captain.

 

[benchmark00]

He's going over as apart of the t20 squad isn't he?

 

[Spark]

Think he's in the ODI squad too.

 

[benchmark00]

Also going over there to meet up with some bird he's been tuning on RSVP iirc.

 

[nsniks]

Just found out, He's in the T20 and ODI squads who play Sri Lanka before the Test series, they were named a few weeks ago. thought tests were played first. FAIL

 

[benchmark00]

Just found out, He's in the T20 and ODI squads who play Sri Lanka before the Test series, they were named a few weeks ago. thought tests were played first. FAIL

Your reputation as a poster probably won't recover from this point itbt.

If I were you I'd forfeit the 220 posts I've made and start afresh with a new account.